“Eh?”
However, because of Chong Chong’s kick, Shen Qingqing immediately sensed the disturbance in the barrier and let out a questioning sound, then looked over.
“Sister Shen, what’s wrong?”
Shen Qingqing turned back with a faint smile. “It’s nothing. Let’s go. We should return to the sect.”
“Wait a moment,” Chen Xiaoyan quickly called out to her.
“Hm? Still something?” Shen Qingqing turned around, looking puzzled.
Chen Xiaoyan walked up to her, propped her chin on her hand and studied her for a moment, then reached out to tidy the white gauze garment.
Aside from the outer robe being a bit wrinkled, everything else was as usual.
Shen Qingqing quietly watched her help straighten her clothes, smiling without disturbing her.
“All done.”
“Then let’s go.”
“Sister Shen, do you know about this world’s Heavenly Dao?”
“I seem to have some impression of it, but every time I try to recall, the thread inexplicably breaks. Maybe this is the legendary Unseeable Heavenly Countenance.”
“There’s such a thing?” Chen Xiaoyan covered her mouth with a small hand in surprise.
…
The two left the living room and arrived at the courtyard.
At that moment, the six Xueyan Pavilion players were gathered together chatting idly. Shen Qingqing’s sudden appearance had dashed their hopes of dying and collecting compensation, and they were still sulking about it.
“We didn’t get to die this time, so the death compensation is off. I really envy that guy Xiaoquanquan. I should have rushed up first.”
“Haha, no surprise there—Xiaoquanquan Chui Ni Xiongkou is probably at the Sect Spring right now, laughing his head off.”
“Don’t talk about him. The more I talk, the more annoyed I get.”
“Speaking of which, why did this NPC Shen Qingqing personally come to rescue Dalao Xiaoyan?”
“Bro, how long have you been off the game? Everyone knows Chen Xiaoyan is Shen Qingqing’s disciple now. Isn’t it normal for a master to come rescue her disciple?”
“Uh, that’s true, but I feel like just now Shen Qingqing holding Dalao Xiaoyan’s hand was a bit… hmm, it felt a little different.”
Off to the side, Shen Yue, who was picking flowers in the courtyard, suddenly brightened up and leaned over with the freshly picked blossoms.
“What kind of feeling?”
“Can’t put it into words.”
“Then why bother saying anything?”
“Shh, don’t talk. The big shots are coming out.”
Reminded by the Yihua player, the others immediately shut their mouths.
As Chen Xiaoyan emerged, she spotted Chong Chong immediately, whose walking posture was very strange—she was limping along.
Chen Xiaoyan was full of question marks. What’s up with this girl?
It’s only been a few minutes—did she hurt her foot again?
Chong Chong gazed at Chen Xiaoyan with deep resentment, the piercing pain in her toes still persisting.
Luckily this game wasn’t one hundred percent pain feedback; otherwise, with that unreserved kick, she definitely would have been too pained to walk. Heh.
“Chong Chong, how did you end up like this?” Chen Xiaoyan walked over and supported her while asking.
Chong Chong didn’t push her away. She turned her little face aside. Since Shen Qingqing was present, she could only express her anger silently.
It wasn’t that she was petty, but when someone you like and your rival enter a private space together, who wouldn’t be anxious?
Seeing her refuse to engage, Chen Xiaoyan, already used to this girl’s temper, immediately understood that she was jealous and angry.
She had only chatted with Shen Qingqing in the living room for a while—was that really worth getting mad over?
Chen Xiaoyan smiled helplessly.
What a Heavenly Little Vinegar King indeed.
“Big brother, why did you all stop talking? Shen Yue wants to know why there’s a different feeling when Sister Xiaoyan and Shen Qingqing hold hands.”
Suddenly, a childish voice broke the silence of the courtyard.
Aside from the Yihua player, the other five players’ hearts instantly skipped a beat, cold sweat pouring down.
They never expected to be stabbed in the back by a little kid.
“Hmm?” Chen Xiaoyan and Shen Qingqing both looked at the five of them.
Gossiping behind people’s backs—their gazes were naturally not very friendly.
Especially Shen Qingqing, who had set a precedent by glaring Mo Jiuchi, that boss, to death. The pressure she gave off was enormous.
With a thud, the five of them didn’t hold out long and quickly caved, kneeling on the ground to beg for mercy.
“Big shots, we know we were wrong.”
Shen Qingqing walked over slowly and stood before them.
The five were terrified, afraid that this big shot NPC would deal with them the same way she had dealt with Mo Jiuchi.
But the Divine Strategy player thought again—maybe this wasn’t such a loss?
After all, if they died, the Guild Leader would compensate them, right?
Yet the moment he thought of Chen Xiaoyan, that idea vanished into thin air.
No kidding—you could provoke anyone, even Shen Qingqing, but not her. One word from her could decide everyone’s wages in the guild.
Wage cuts hurt worse than killing him.
“Considering that you know Xiaoyan, slap yourselves one hundred times. If this Sect Leader ever hears a single rumor, I will hold you accountable.”
“Yes, Sect Leader Shen,” the five replied in unison.
Then they stood up, exchanged glances, and began slapping themselves.
If Chen Xiaoyan hadn’t been there, they definitely wouldn’t have listened to Shen Qingqing. No matter how strong you are, you can’t control other sects, right?
Of course, that was just their assumption. No one knew the truth.
Shen Qingqing had no interest in watching them slap themselves. Ignoring the five, she turned her gaze to the Yihua player beside her.
Just one glance made her tremble with fear, and she quickly shook her head to explain. “Sect Leader Shen, I didn’t participate. Really.”
“Mm.” Shen Qingqing nodded slightly, then looked at the little girl Shen Yue next to her. Coincidentally, the latter was also looking at her.
“You…”
Shen Qingqing’s eyes were full of doubt. She hesitated, feeling like this little girl seemed familiar.
“Hm?” Shen Yue tilted her head in an adorable move, looking at her in confusion.
“It’s nothing.” Shen Qingqing gave an awkward smile.
“Where are Mo Ruhui and Mo Nichang?” Chen Xiaoyan supported Chong Chong and looked around, quickly noticing that father and daughter had disappeared.
“Big shot Xiaoyan, it looks like they went out,” the Yihua player replied, pointing outside.
“They ran away?” Chen Xiaoyan was taken aback.
…
“Probably ran away,” the Yihua player said softly, nodding.
Chen Xiaoyan gritted her teeth and muttered, “Sure enough, a sly old fox. He slipped away fast.”
“Xiaoyan, what happened?”
Watching Shen Qingqing approach at a leisurely pace, Chen Xiaoyan explained rather depressingly, “It’s not a big deal. That Mo Nichang let her coachman charge through the streets recklessly, killing over a dozen people. The victims’ families tried to stop her, and they also died tragically under her palm.”
Hearing this, Shen Qingqing frowned slightly.
Tianxiang disciples’ hatred for evil was well-known throughout the Great Song, and Shen Qingqing was no exception.
However, she was now somewhat different from those younger disciples. The years had worn away her youthful recklessness.
But still, hearing about such a human tragedy stirred a ripple in her heart.
A father and daughter?
They must have been the two commoners.
Hmph. Every cause has its effect. There’s no escape.
Shen Qingqing closed her eyes and released her divine sense. Within a thousand meters, there was no trace of that father and daughter.
A thousand meters wasn’t enough. Two thousand, three thousand.
Three thousand had already reached the limit of her divine sense range, but still nothing.
“Hmm?”
Though she hadn’t found the two commoners, she did spot a black-clad figure lurking suspiciously outside.
Shen Qingqing’s eyes snapped open. She made a sword finger and gently pointed toward the black-clad man.
Lingxi Finger.
Lingxi Finger was a divine ability she had created herself, carrying a trace of the Heavenly Dao’s laws. It struck with extreme speed and could even cross space.
The black-clad man had no time to react. A pink light point pierced through his shoulder like tofu.
The light point continued, its remaining momentum unabated, and disappeared into the ground.
“Hiss—” Yu Shangneng covered his shoulder, his eyes full of terror. Blood from the wound had already stained the gaps between his fingers.
He had wanted to observe the famous Fairy Shen from the shadows, but had forgotten how terrifying cultivators’ divine sense could be.
But was this the legendary Lingxi Finger of Shen Qingqing?
Yu Shangneng managed a smile.
Just as the rumors said—unpredictable and unavoidable. He, a tavern keeper, had now taken a Lingxi Finger from Shen Qingqing and still lived.
Although the other party had deliberately held back, it was still a genuine Lingxi Finger. No loss, no loss.
Thus, without even treating his wound, Yu Shangneng hurried into the manor to beg forgiveness from Shen Qingqing.
Spying on others secretly was inexcusable no matter the reason. Even if she had killed him, no one would have sought justice for him.
And that finger just now was deliberately aimed off-target. If he had turned and fled, the next finger’s target wouldn’t have been his shoulder.
It would have been his heart.
Shen Qingqing’s Lingxi Finger made no sound from the moment it was launched to the moment it finished.
Chen Xiaoyan had no idea what had happened. She only saw Shen Qingqing raise her hand, and then nothing.
“Sister Shen, what’s the matter?”
“There’s a black monkey with dirty eyes outside.”
Black monkey?
Just as Chen Xiaoyan was about to ask what a black monkey was, she saw an old man in black stumble into the courtyard, his shoulder wounded.
His all-black attire, combined with what Shen Qingqing had said about a black monkey—could she mean him?
Actually, he did kind of resemble a black monkey.
“A mere martial artist, Yu Shangneng, greets Fairy Shen. Thank you for sparing my life.” He endured the searing pain and bowed with clasped hands.
“A eunuch?” Shen Qingqing recognized in one glance that he was a man of incompleteness.
“Yes.”
“I spared you because you are still useful.”
Yu Shangneng remained very calm. This statement seemed to have been expected.
“Please give your orders, Fairy.”
“Xiaoyan.”
“Eh? I’m here.”
“From now on, this man will be your guard.” In an instant, the air around them fell silent.
Everyone was dumbfounded.
Chen Xiaoyan stood frozen in the wind, pointing at Yu Shangneng, looking at Shen Qingqing with disbelief. “Sister Shen… him… him?”
Chong Chong was sitting alone on a flower bed, rubbing her sore toes. When she heard this, she immediately stood up excitedly.
Her right foot stepped directly onto the cobblestones laid on the ground.
Shriek The girl let out a burst of pained howling. Gnashing her teeth, she could only hug her foot and sit back down on the flower bed indignantly, but her eyes were fixed on Chen Xiaoyan.
“I object!”
With this old man tailing them, how could she and Sister Xiaoyan ever have any time alone?
Chen Xiaoyan turned back and looked at the anxious Chong Chong. The girl kept shaking her head at her and signaling with her eyes, indicating that she should refuse.